Electrical switch



Aug. 6, 1940. c PERRY 2,210,775

ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed March 1, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet l '@"'E@ (Q Q (QQQ' Q IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Aug. 6, 1940. A. c. PERRY 2.210.775

ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed March 1, 1958 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Alba/ 6 611 61 1INVENTO A TTORNEYS.

Aug. 6, 1940. A. c. PERRY ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed March 1, 1958 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Alba/ a? Cfewrg I N V EN TOR A TTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 6, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a device designed for indicating depth, andthe draft of ships, equipped with the indicator.

An important object of the invention is to provide a portable device ofthis character which may be readily and easily mounted on the shipsrailing or other convenient location, whereby the officer in charge ofthe loading of the vessel, may readily observe the indicator todetermine the variance of draft of the vessel, during the loadingthereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich may be brought into operation as a means for making soundings todetermine the depth of water, through which the vessel is moving.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an indicator whichis electrically controlled, to the end that the indicator isexceptionally sensitive and accurate in operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein described, may be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention;

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view illustrating the indicator as positionedon a ships railing.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the indicator or display section ofthe device.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through the switch housingillustrating the cylindrical switch members of the device.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is an end elevational view of the switch housing.

Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the circuits to the various electriclamps of the indicator.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the indicator embodies a switchmember indicated generally by the reference character 5, and anindicator 5, the indicator embodying a sectional housing, the sectionsbeing hing'edly connected, so that when they are moved to their closedposihung over a ships railing, where it will be in full view of theoificer in charge of loading the vessel. In the present showing, theindicator housing has been hung over the railing of the pilot house ofthe ship, and in use it is contemplated to use two of these indicatingdevices, one to vbe positioned on each cabin or deck house of the ship.It will of course be understood that the usual freight ship is providedwith two of these deck houses, one at each end.

The switch housing forming an important part of the invention, isconstructed of insulating material, and is indicated by the referencecharacter 9, the ends of the switch housing being closed by means of theremovable closures l0. Mounted within the switch housing 9, and disposedin spaced relation with the removable closures l0,

, arc partitioning members I I, which are also constructed of suitableinsulating material. Mounted within the switch housing, are cylindricalswitch members l2 arranged in parallel spaced relation with each other,the cylindrical switch members being mounted on the shafts l3 and Mrespectively, the shaft l3 being provided with a clutch member I5 at oneend thereof, with which the clutch member 15 of the shaft l7 cooperatesin clutching the shafts l3 and I! together. The shaft ii extends throughone of the end closures of the housing 9, where it is provided with adisk I8 formed with openings to receive the pins l9 extending from thepulley 2G. The pulley 2D is mounted on th shaft 2! that is supported bythe arm 22 forming a part of the bracket which supports the switchhousing 9.

Operating over the pulley 23, is a cable 23 that carries the float 24,and at a distance below the float 24 less than the depth of water at thepoint of operation, is attached a disk-like weight 25 designed to partlysubmerge the float 24, and hold the float steady in rough water.

At the opposite end of the cable 23, is a hanging Weight 26 acting as acounterbalance, to hold the cable taut and at the same time insure theoperation .of the pulley 20, as the ship or vessel moves vertically.

The shafts I3 and I4 operate in bearings 21 mounted in openings in thepartitioning members I I. These shafts I3 and M are secured to the disks28 that close the ends of the cylindrical switch members I2. These disks28 are constructed of insulating material, so that the shafts I3 and I4are insulated against electric current passing through the cylindricalswitch members I2. Spaced pins 29 extend laterally from the cylindricalswitch members I2, and are engaged by the disks 30 that operate inhorizontal planes, the disks 30 acting to restrict movement of thecylindrical switch members, under normal conditions.

The disks 3! are mounted adjacent to the outer ends of the pivotedsections 3| of the frames 32 which are arranged adjacent to the ends ofthe cylindrical switch members I2, the pivoted sections of the frames atopposite ends of the cylindrical switch members I2, being connected bymeans of the rods 33 and coiled spring members 34, to the end that thepivoted sections of the frames 32 at the ends of the members I2, arenormally urged towards each other moving the disks 30 into closeengagement with the spaced pins 29. Thus it will be seen that due tothis construction, when the cylindrical switch members I2 rotate, theengagement of the spaced pins 29 with the disks 33, will cause the disks30 to move outwardly againstthe action of the coiled springs 34. Afterthe pins contacting with the disks 33, pass the disks 30, the disks 30will of course move into contact with the adjacent pins holding thecylindrical switch members I2 against movement, under normal conditions.Extending laterally from the uppermost cylindrical switch members I2, isan arm 35 provided with a roller 36 at its end, the roller beingdesigned to contact with the spaced pins 3'! that extend laterally fromthe adjacent lower cylindrical switch member I2. Due to thisconstruction, it will be ob vious that with each complete rotation ofthe uppermost cylindrical switch member I2, the roller 36 will contactwith one of the pins 31, moving the lower cylindrical switch member I2one point.

'Mounted on the shaft I1, is a disk 38 supplied with numbers from 1 to12, the numbers corresponding to the number of pins 29, extending fromthe uppermost cylindrical switch member I2. This cylindrical switchmember is constructed in such a way that with each movement of the uppercylindrical switch member I2, the distance between two adjacent pins,will indicate a varianceof one inch in the length of the cable 23.Mounted on the shaft I4 is a disk 39, the disk 39 a being provided withnumbers from 1 to 10, corresponding to the pins extending laterally fromtheends of the lower cylindrical switch member I2. The distance betweenadjacent pins of the lowermost cylindrical switch member I2, indicatesvariance in feet, in the length of the cable 23.

Sight openings 40 are provided in one of the endclosures II) of theswitch housing, and afford means whereby the numbers appearing on thedisks and 39, may be viewed to determine the length of the cableextending into the water, which of course controls the movements of thecylindrical switch members to determine the draft or depth of the water.

An electric lamp indicated by the reference character M, is disposedadjacent to the sight openings 43, and is arranged to illuminate thenumbers appearing on the disks 38 and 39, so that they may be read inthe dark.

Mounted within the switch housing 9, and disposed longitudinallythereof, is a bar 42 constructed of insulating material, the bar 42providing a support for the contacts 43 that are so arranged that theywill contact with the pins 44 extending from the uppermost cylindricalswitch member I2. These contact members 43 are in circuit with the lampsof the indicator, indicated by the reference character I, through thewires 45. Inconnection with this construction, it might be'stated thatthese pins 44 are so arranged that when the cylinder I2 supporting thepins 44, is moved to predetermined positions, certain groups of thelamps I of the indicator, will be illuminated to form numbers andletters, corresponding to the numbers appearing through the sightopenings 43, indicating the draft of the ship, or depth of the water.The pins 46 which extend from the lowermost cylindrical switch memberI2, are arranged to be engaged by the contact members 41 carried by thebar 48 arranged within the switch housing, the contact members 41 beingin circuit with the lamps l of the adjacent sectionof the-indicatorhousing,

through certain of the wires 45. When the upperi most cylindrical switchmember i2 has made one complete revolution, and the lowermostcylindrical switch member I2 has been moved one space, the indicatorwill be illuminated to designate in feet and inches, the amount of draftof the ship, or depth of the water.

It will of course be understood that certain of the wires connect withthe contact members 4'5, so that when the pins 43 engage the contactmembers 41, a circuit will be completed.

The return circuit of the wiring system, is made through the disks 3!],wires 49 and 53, switch member 5i, and battery 52. v

As the ship or vessel supplied with the indicating device raisesorlowers, owing to a variation in the weight of the load of the vessel,it is obvious that the. cable 23 will move over the pulley '20, rotatingthe pulley 2!), which in turn rotates the cylindrical switch members,completing the circuit to illuminate the lamps of the indicator, to theend that the draft of the vessel or depth of the water, may be readilydetermined.

I claim:

1. A switch for use with electric indicators, comprising a housing,partitioning members within the housing and spaced from the ends of thehousing providing compartments, shafts extending through the housing,cylindrical members mounted on the shafts, contact pins extending fromthe surfaces of the cylindrical members and arranged in distinctivegroups, stationary contacts supported within the housing and disposedinthe paths of travel of said contact pins to complete circuits with thecontact pins as said contact pins and stationary contacts engage, rowsof pins extending from the peripheries of the cylindrical members at theends thereof, disks mounted within the compartment and engaging the rowsof pins at the ends of the cylinders restricting rotary movement of thecylindrical members, and yieldable members on which said disks aresupported.

2. A switch for use with electric indicators, comprising a housing,shafts extending through the'housing in parallel spaced relation withrespect to each other, cylindrical members mounted on the shafts,contact pins extending from the surfaces of the cylindrical members,stationary contacts supported within the housing and disposed in thepatch of v travel of the contact pins of the cylindrical members, saidcontact pins adapted to engage the stationary contacts completingcircuits, pivoted frames mounted within the housing, disks mounted onthe frames and operating at right angles to the direction of operationof the cylindrical members, pins arranged in rows and extending from thecylindrical members adjacent to the ends thereof, said pins engagingsaid disks, restricting movement of the cylindrical members, andyieldable means for normally urging the disks into engagement with therows of pins.

ALBERT C. PERRY.

